Masquerade: Know Thy Enemy
by C. N. Bailey
Summary: When Lily Potter attends her first Ministry Masquerade she meets Cashmere, a charming and witty gentleman, who has answers to her taunts and smiles brighter than the sun. Over the course of the next few months they learn about each other without discovering identities. When Scorpius discovers Lily's identity he reveals his own and all the trouble begins. 3 part series for Christmas
1. Chapter 1: Everything has Changed

Everything has Changed

(Inspired by Taylor Swift's Everything Has Changed. To watch the music video copy and paste watch?v=82fCBqsLLIM after the / on Youtube.)

I walked into the dance with my peacock feather train trailing behind me off the end of my skirt. The entire ministry Atrium had been transformed into a world of mystery and dark hued crystal. Each face looked like a stranger and each seemed to exude an unknown personality. Where my friends here? I had told them about it and they said they'd go but that didn't mean they actually showed up or arrived yet.

"Invitation please, Ma'am."

I handed over the silver and white formal invite and watched at the words "Cordially and Hallows Eve Ball reflected in the light. The doorman scanned through it, caught my name, asked how I would like to be introduced to the public. Moments after I said my self-made name, Pearl Dalfino, a voice announced it and a smattering of polite applause followed. All the gentleman had been required to show up an hour early to get organized and prepare for the formal arrivals.

As was proper the men waited on the floor for a girl that struck their fancy to arrive then offered the first dance. I noticed of the four girls I watched descend the stairs and cross the floor, only one of them made it to a chair before a boy asked them to dance. All the others had been caught in the middle, and one at the bottom of the stairs. This was my first formal dance (you were required to be 20 to attend) and I had panicked and worried all day about being the only one to make it to their seat without being asked. My dad had walked in as I sucked in my stomach, fluffed my hair, exhaled shakily, and smoothed the front of my dress for the hundredth time before gazing into the mirror to find my eyes behind the ornate metal mask.

"Lily, if you suck in anymore you will vanish. Don't worry baby, you are skinny with curves in all the right places. Your trademark hair is safely hidden beneath that magnificent wig, your make up makes you look completely different and older than you are, and that dress was custom fit to your body with final touches done yesterday, as was the mask. If you make it all fifteen steps and more than ten across the ballroom floor I will buy you a new broom, ice cream, and pay off all your party expenses tomorrow. Normally I wouldn't bet so high but you're my daughter and, as much as I don't want to admit it, you've grown into the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. That includes your mother. Together we created perfection. Oh, time to get going. It's not fashionable to be late, not even to your first ball, and all the respectable men who deserve a dance with you will be taken. I love you. Have fun. Be safe."

I began to descend the staircase as I focused on counting fifteen stairs instead of looking around in a panic to see if anyone had moved to escort me to the floor. 12...11...10... My dad was standing up in the balcony with his arm around my mothers waist...9...8...7...6...5... A shadow moved on the stairs and I looked up to find a man in a phoenix mask that shimmered in the light. It came off his shoulder and framed his face with wings and a huge tail trailed down his back. There were two other disgruntled men waiting at the bottom of the stairs. This one had come up three stairs to catch me on the fifth.

"Pearl Dalfino, you look more stunning that the moon tonight. My name is Cashmere DeLillo. May I offer my hand for your first dance of the evening?"

I accepted his arm and he spun me out onto the floor before pulling me in to begin a waltz with those who had entered already the floor. We joined mid step and he led perfectly, forcefully and steady enough that I could follow like we had practiced together for this moment. As we spun and synced I began to smile and relax. He knew the waltz like he was born dancing it. Two songs later (A formal court dance and a Foxtrot) he spoke again.

"Let me know when you would like to switch dancers or stop for a drink or fresh air. I am planning on dancing every dance until the music stops. I love these balls and there are too few of them."

The look of shock and awe on my face made him laugh and speak again.

"I let every lady I dance with ask me five yes or no questions to try to guess my identity. You are entitled to the same and as quickly or slowly as you deem necessary."

We started the next dance before I asked my first question. Had he attended Hogwarts in the past five years.

It took him a minute to count up before he smiled and answered: Yes. Due to his response and the time it took him to count backwards I had guessed that he was either at five years or at four years. This five question thing was more difficult than I thought. How did I find out which house he was in or if he knew my family without giving myself away. He used these five questions to discover things about his partners as well, I was sure of it.

Someone walked by with a tray of shots and as my eyes followed them briefly my masked fellow located what I was watching and moved quick enough to get us two ornate shot glasses and whispered, "To Hogwarts and mystery" before shooting his and inhaling to feel the burn. Mimicking and inhaling just in time to prevent coughing on the liquids effects my next question came to mind.

"Cashmere, do you like Quidditch?"

"Yes. I love Quidditch. I played in school a bit, as did you if I had to guess."

He was going to realize who I was faster than I found him out if I wasn't careful. Another three dances past and I had all but forgotten about my remaining questions when he locked eyes and nodded with a lady standing off to the side of the floor. Her hair was brown and so shiny it had to be a wig. She looked considerably older than him, enough so that I guessed it had to be his mother or an aunt or family friend. I wasn't about to waste a question to find out. Moments after mentioning getting a drink one was in my hand and we stood side by side, drinking quickly and watched the others dance.

"Is your last name well known in the magical community?"

This one he struggled with before reluctantly replying that is was a most likely considered a prominent last name. Had he been trying to find a way out of answering or answering slyly? I just had to ask questions that told me things about him without giving any hints about myself away. Though I didn't know him I wanted to keep him hooked and knew just the way to do so.

"If you'll excuse me sir, I think I should dance with a few others now. It was lovely to dance and chat with you."

"You aren't going to ask your last two questions?"

"Not tonight. If you have a prominent last name than you are aware that there is another masquerade ball on Christmas Eve. I'm not saying my last name is as prominent as yours but I was already invited to that one as well. Until then, Cashmere, it was a pleasure."

Just like that I left him standing there, trying to look relaxed and not even a little disappointed.

With her final words she sauntered away and was out on the floor with someone else before she hit her seat. She had gone to Hogwarts in the past five years, loved Quidditch (since she had thought of it before asking if I was in a particular house at Hogwarts I figured she deemed it more important to know my opinion on the sport or if she might have played against me while at school.), and she was prominent enough in the community to be invited to the Holiday Ball in two months. Her last question made me nervous. I hadn't thought of courting any prominent girls. Not because there weren't smart or beautiful ladies but because the stains of my grandparents involvement with Voldemort hadn't washed from the public mind. My father still had people pull their children away from him when he walked by, we got Howlers at the house on the anniversaries of the Hogwarts victory. I didn't want to see that blank look when the sparkle faded from their eyes. Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy? Nope. That would be the end of that. If my name hadn't been tainted perhaps I would have a girlfriend or wife already. My parents had tried the age old "set up" but no one wanted their family to take on the last name. We still had our fortune but what was endless Galleons next to a shady past and heavy association with the biggest evil the Wizarding world had ever seen.

Pearl was twirling around the floor with a boy I knew from my customer base. I knew he was rich because he bought some of my most expensive item as gifts a few weeks ago for Christmas. After school there were very few things I actually wanted to do. My skills could make me one hell of a Auror but I doubted I could get in due to my last name. (The past that wasn't mine haunted my every choice.) My friends thought I was good enough to go into professional Quidditch but I didn't want to fly in storms, ice, blistering sun, or fog. When I flew I wanted leisurely drifting and playful adventures. My father thought I'd go into the Ministry like he had. My mother wanted me to become a Healer at St. Mungo's. All the choices made me queasy and nauseous. My hobby had pulled me through and once school was over it was what made me happiest. With my wand and a knife wood seemed to ripple and mold under my fingertips as though it were clay. I learned how to work with crystal and glass soon and business expanded. After outgrowing the room set up at Malfoy Manor my business was moved to a location on the coast south of London with a shop in the mercantile area to the left of the Leaky Cauldron which I occupied during the business hours. Did Pearl know his real name? Were they friends? Would she stick by his side the rest of the night?

No. Two songs later that same guy was dancing with a redhead in a blue dress who laughed like a choking camel when ever he said more than a few words. The balcony outside looked over a huge pool of dancing fountains and shifting lights. There were a few couples out there, gazing into each others eyes and occasionally meeting at the lips, but they all seemed to be at one side of the huge patio. With nothing else to do in here looking at the water and figuring out when this party would hold no more interest seemed like the best things to do at the moment. Hours ago the full moon had risen and the stars dotted the clear sky. Every blade of grass seemed to have its own depth and story in that lighting. Below a couple walked along the cobblestone path and entwined fingers as they went and Apparated just outside of the gate half a mile away.

When I turned an owl, tall, lean, and ruffled stood next to me with a note. Its thick leg stuck out and the note attached gleamed. I didn't know this beast and hadn't been expecting a message.

Cashmere,

You look rather elegant and effortlessly charming with the light from the ballroom backlighting your form. I don't want to waste my two questions so every question I ask won't be able to have a yes or no answer. I was thinking and wondering about our meeting tonight. It would be amazing to keep in touch. What would you think about sending our owls back and forth between now and the Holiday Ball? My owl already knows you because of this letter. Yours could fly home with my owl next time he shows up at your house so he knows where to find me. What do you think about that idea?

Pearl

She had phrased her questions in a way that would make me respond with multiple words. She had said I looked elegant and backlit here which meant she could see me right now and was somewhere facing me. It took every muscle in me not to immediately look for her. After writing the letter P on the back of her letter I wrote the word "Yes..." knowing she would laugh at the response to her complex questions. With a continued message about keeping in touch and arranging a time for her owl to find me tomorrow finished the owl took the letter in his beak and jumped from the railing. He made lazy circles down to a girl sitting, legs in the huge fountain, with her dress pulled up to her thighs in the front and trailing into the dirt behind her.

As I thought I got a laugh and our eyes met as she nodded before the note was tucked away and the owl was sent away. Two people joined her, a man and a woman who danced a tango while she rearranged and put shoes back on, and together they walked to the gate and as she turned to look the small group Apparated. This party had lost its spark and appeal and nothing sounded more comforting than a hot bath, a soft robe, and soft pillows in my foam bed. My feet met the carpet moments before a overly cheery and snug voice float over the sofa's backing.

"You're home early Scorpius. Didn't see anyone worth trying for?"

"Stop pestering him Draco. He has high standards. That's good. Really good. Scorpius, what's happened? You are smiling like an idiot?"

How could I put this into words, what I realized had happened all night?"

"I met someone. She went by the name Pearl. I've never been so completely matched, teased, and outwitted. Every line I said was countered and even my game of five questions failed when she stopped after asking about the prestige of my last name. She's going to the Ministry Holiday ball and said if my status really was high enough I would be there as well. Then she left to dance with a few others. Right before she left she said we should owl back and forth, only letting our birds know where we lived. Pearl knows how tightly she has me wrapped around her finger. She knows I went to Hogwarts within the past five years, meaning I'm her age or knew people she knew. If there was a chance to guess I'd say this was her first ball or first time attending a ball which would make her 20 or 21. She likes Quidditch, maybe played in school, and knows I played in school. Then there is the whole name thing. We are both high enough in the social ladder to attend next months celebration...

"Do you know who she could be?"

They hadn't a clue. Not that I expected them to, well, I had hoped they might have some guesses. There were over a hundred families invited to the ball, not all of the British, and she could have belonged to any one of them! Once in bed dreams came easily and sweetly. If my feet were sore it wouldn't shock me. Ever dream was filled with music and classical dancing and, some even involved some physical touch. How was I supposed to wait for a month before seeing her again, even if it was through the mask and heavy make-up?

When I woke her owl was already sitting patiently at the window with his head down against the cold wind around him. Between his talons was a small lilac envelope with a shiny white ribbon around it. Once the window was open the tall bird ducked his head and waddled into the room, admiring the gleaming objects and finally coming to rest on the polished wood of my bed end. My own owl, Aphrodite, was sleeping, her head under wing in the large cage opposite the bed.

C,

Hello again! I hope you enjoyed the rest of the party last night. It had to be my favorite event of the year thus far. Though I'm hoping this next one will be better. I got home safely and was drilled by my parents. Why do they insist on knowing every detail? It's not like anyone at those parties is close to underage or anything.

This morning I went shopping in Diagon Alley and saw an amazing cloak and form fitting silver dress. It has the most amazing texture and I can't wait to show up in it at the next ball. All I need now is a new mask! I know you probably don't care about fashion or clothing but I do and I wanted to tell someone other than my parents. You will be looking for me at the next dance anyway so I figured I 'd tell you! I'm glad the trip was useful in some manner of speaking. Without finding something worthwhile the trip through the snow and bursts of icy wind would have put a damper on the day.

I hope you are well and warm,

P.

As I finished writing Aphrodite woke up, noticed the other bird, and came out to sit next to him. Before sending the letter my routine was completed: work out, shower, brush teeth, style hair, dress, tiding the room, with the last added part being to seal the letter with cerulean blue wax and enchant it against the drifting snow outside. I watched as my slender bird followed the larger bird away from the house before settling in to a couch by the fireplace to read before breakfast or lunch.

P.

I actually left a few minutes after you did. I had hoped to ask you for one more dance but I saw you leave with your friends and didn't see anyone else I wanted to talk to. My parents did the same thing when I got home, though only a few questions before they went back to their previous engagements. I don't think my parents will ever stop asking me about the details of my life. Years down the road when I married with kids they will still be just as interested.

Oddly, I love fabric and different aspects of the fashion/art world. I have tickets to a fashion show in Milan just after Boxing Day. I call myself Cashmere at masquerades for a reason! Something about the way textures and colors combine is enchanting. Something about the combinations and textures with other patterns or feelings make sense in my mind. I'd love to hear more about your fashion tastes. (I'm fairly sure I'll love it. That dress you wore yesterday caught my eye before that amazing mask did. Would you go into more detail as to why you chose the name Pearl?) I'd recognize you even if you didn't tell me what you'd be wearing. People usually go by the same names as the last dances so they can find those they were interested by and even if you didn't I paid attention to the way you walked and carried yourself. It's funny the things you notice about a person when you don't have their actual name or address. Normally I don't pay attention but it seemed crucial to remember this time. Just in case.

I had a getting to know you question. What is your dream life? Who do you want to be in ten years? I'll answer the same question in my next letter.

It is snowing right now at my house. I feel a bit bad about sending Aphrodite out into the storm but the two birds should be able to keep each other company on the trip. I hope your day is fantastic and better than the last.

C.


	2. Chapter 2: Goodbye My Almost Lover

Goodbye my Almost Lover

(Inspired by Inspired by A Fine Frenzy's Goodbye My Almost Lover. To watch the music video copy and paste watch?v=EDEEzS7OV2k after / on Youtube.)

I read his note over dinner and smiled to myself as I did. Both parents watched and smiled into their soups as well. James was visiting tonight, as was custom for Sunday dinners, and was oblivious to the fact that I was acting odd. Albus, on the other hand, was keenly aware of the fact and occasionally asked me about the man I was writing. What was his name, what clues had he given me, what his physical build was, how old was he, did he lie to me about anything, anything else that came to mind as it came there. He was more annoying than my parents had ever been. Perhaps he could figure out who it was then tell me. Knowing my masked man before he found me out would be fun.

Albus continued to pester me all night and often made comments about his handwriting or the way he swirled his uppercase letters. According to the many "concrete facts" decoded from my letters and our conversations my admirer was a "high-class yuppie who probably wore only designer clothes, had separate shoes for indoors and outdoors, sipped tea between meals as he read in some huge personal library, and swooped in to break the hearts of young naive women." In other words, Albus didn't like him and, once decided, made my life hell. I had been in my room brushing through my hair when my father came to the rescue and told Albus he wasn't to bring up Cashmere again unless he found out who he was. Before leaving my father dropped his chin down, took my most recent letter which involved rambling about free time now that the holiday rush at work was over and his delicious lunch, and looked menacingly back for a final warning.

"Lily is well on her way to womanhood and, as much as I hate to say it, it's about time she begin dating outside of the usual flings that occur at Hogwarts. You will not be getting in her way."

The next morning as I was spreading Lingonberry jam on toast a knock echoed through the house. My mother answered the door and quickly returned with two dozen flowers, one dozen roses with gypsophila spread throughout and a dozen calla lilies with ivy cascading around it. On the tag, a handmade think of satin in crimson and silver, there was a message in glitter.

I hope I've not been too bold for your taste, I saw these while shopping for my mother's Christmas gift and thought I'd get them for you. I don't feel I know you well enough to get you a meaningful gift but couldn't resist some flowers to brighten your already dazzling smile until the spring comes back. (These are charmed to last for at least three months. Hopefully by then the spring will start blossoming again. I'm not a big fan of winter. Grey is not the most flattering tone for earth.)

~Cashmere

Albus huffed but kept his mouth pursed as my father was in the room. Before work I had situated the flowers in a vase, written a thank you note and gushed about the flowers, finished eating, and made it to work with five minutes to spare. I wanted to send back a gift but didn't want him to feel pressure so I decided to make mine a Christmas gift. I ran into a similar problem; I didn't know him well enough to think of a good one.

C,

I chose the name Pearl because it has ties and similarities with my real name; obviously I'm not going in to more detail than that. A man who likes fabric and follows the art world? How intriguing! I'm glad to hear that people don't change names. I don't want to remember all the names I've gone by if people ask if we've met before. That would be a little hard to keep track of; if others changed their names I would never know if I'd met them before.

I've now found a mask to match! It has pearls and diamonds and is accented with light green. Have you figured out what you are wearing in a few weeks yet? If this ball had been a bit further away I would go crazy before we met again. You've been in my mind since that night.

My dream? I want to live in my own house and run my own book shop in Diagon Alley. I would host music artists every weekend and hang amateur painters work on the walls as a makeshift gallery to help them gain popularity. I would live somewhere quiet where I could think and play and maybe raise kids, or dogs if I can't find the right guy to start a family with, and relax after being with my books and customers and tea. I'm curious to hear your answer on this one too.

There was something I wanted ask you too but you don't have to answer if it gives too much away. I work at a shop in Diagon Alley (I won't say which) and I was curious as to what you do for a profession. Like I said, if it gives too much feel free to say or tell me something similar or related to your line of work. Just curious!

P.

He had replied after what I imagined to be an hour, maybe two, long flight. (Knowing he lived so nearby drove me crazy.) He was an artist of some type, though didn't use paint due to clumsiness. I imagined him in some shop working with metal, wire, stone, and magic. Since he followed the fashion world and had been so detail oriented I couldn't help but guess at the mastery of his craft. That was the moment a perfect gift entered my mind. Within two hours arriving at work the thought of finding something for him took over and I left work "sick" to run to a huge store in London proper.

In the window a few weeks back had been a display showing newer form of art crafting and one in particular had caught my attention. There was a kit teaching artists how to crush rocks and minerals into smaller, intricate pieces then combine them to make shapes. They could be used in collages or reformed into metal frames to be crafting into pendants or rings. It was random enough I doubted it was his chosen canvas of creation. Something new to explore would never be passed up by an artist with some free time. After purchasing it and paying a bit extra to have it wrapped an owl was borrowed from the post office and carried it away. He had been anxious sending me flowers and I would have a similar feeling until I got his note back. I knew he would say he liked it but it would be the rest of the letter that would let me know his honest opinion.

Back home and hours later a large owl swooped in and dropped an envelope traced in gold in my lap. Albus huffed as my lips pulled into the largest smile in months. This card was heavy and ornate. Little did I know my mystery man was a gusher. The entire space inside was filled with facts, new concepts, and intricate details he had already discovered about this new art and he mentioned making something for me to wear to the next dance. At the end was another heartfelt thank you and a simple question: "I couldn't thank you enough if I tried. This is the kind of gift I always hope to receive for holidays and birthdays. (All free time I've had has now been intensely used to create new products for my store. I've already ordered more minerals and crushing materials! People are going to love all the patterns and shapes going up tomorrow. Tonight is going to be sleepless. I can't put down my tools before I get a new idea.) I'm so happy I could kiss you! Would you mind: if I kissed you?"

He had included a p.s. saying he didn't often kiss girls (or boys for that matter) but had never felt so compelled to try. Kissing him hadn't crossed my mind but now that it was suggested nothing seemed more fitting of our second dance. Was it stupid to become so attached to a man whose name I didn't know? Yes. Did I care? No.

Once dinner resumed my eyes found my mothers. Her smirk was more telling than anything words could have said. She knew our relationship was reaching that next level and looked thrilled to see me flushed and giggly. Albus stood abruptly and took his plate with him. When he mumbled something about wanting to eat without the though of some yuppie snogging his sister the remaining eyes went to me. In response the card levitated into waiting hands. After being finished my father returned to his food smiling and said Al was just jealous he had never found the dances as useful or fulfilling. Nodding, and adding that he might have better luck if he wasn't so pretentious or forward might have gone a long way, my mother sent the card back to me.

For tonight I wasn't going to think on it. I had never been one of those girls who focused their lives around the men they were with. I was my own person and my wealth, fame, or personality did not revolve around anyone but me. Something told me he had all those benefits as well but didn't want to show off. Perhaps Albus might have learned a lesson or two from Cashmere. When dawn crept in my window it fell across a letter written in the moonlight hours earlier. My bird had been out hunting and once he returned would hoot and shuffle around to attempt to pick up the letter to deliver. I only wrote to one person and he was often eager to do his job. When sleeplessness had found me nothing seemed better than responding and getting back to sleep. It was the anxiety of answering him that chased away sleep.

Cashmere,

I am not opposed to the idea of a kiss, though it's been almost a year since I had a boyfriend. (I've never kissed someone I wasn't dating before.) At first I was shocked to see your usual proper facade slip in favor of something as small as a kiss. Tonight was going to be my night to think about how to respond in a way that would be kind but not give too much away. Unfortunately now I just fall asleep thinking about it and my dreams are avoiding me until I make a decision. It's funny to want to share a kiss when I'm not even familiar with the sound of your name, yet nothing sounds more perfect! I still have a few questions left and I plan on using them soon. In short, my answer is no, I'd not mind a bit if you kissed me. I may even kiss you back. ;)

Once all this hidden identity stuff is over I want to come to your shop and see all the things you've made! There is no hint as to what kind of work you do and the longer we talk the more curious I grow. There is no doubt in my mind that it will take my breath away to run my fingers along the textures and shapes of your treasures.

P.

Her note came as I ate breakfast with my parents. They smiled and continued to talk as the large owl flew out through the window it came in. How was I to tell her my dream was similar without sounding like a was molding mine to hers? I just wanted a workshop and gallery in Diagon Alley and a house with my wife and kids in the countryside where I could relax at night. I wanted to create fine things for my home and live peacefully. I eventually made it sound alright and sent the letter away shortly after it arrived.

Pearl and I didn't live too far away from each other. Once in a while she wrote back as soon as she got the letter and her letter was in my hand less than three hours after I sent my bird away. Pearl must have known this fact too because I often wrote her immediately as well. I had told her I worked as an artist, that my workshop/warehouse was tucked out of sight near Diagon Alley, and that most of my products were shipped via owl. There was no way I was going to tell her I worked in a shop producing art near Diagon Alley and sold a bit from store front as well. I hadn't lied; most of my orders were owl placed and shipped. There were too few shops in that area and I would be found out. Once she knew how close we worked I often got little notes or letters. The most recent one said she hoped my day was going well and jokingly asking if I wanted to catch lunch somewhere. When we played that one out a bit, deciding where to go that would be nearby for both of us, I had the lunch special delivered via owl to her workplace. She had wrote the sweetest and most thoughtful note back, sending me a dessert from the cafe next to the potions shop. The whole exchange was finished in an hours time, meaning we were really close to each other on a daily basis.

A few more letters and my refusal to tell her about my favorite craft style later found us getting ready for the dance. I planned on kissing her and nothing made my hands sweatier or my nerves jumpier. There had never been a time before when I had anticipated an expression like this, let alone to a girl I only knew under alias. While dressing and fixing my hair my father knocked and entered.

"What are you going to do if this turns out poorly? I know you don't want to think about it but chances are she will know your name and not be too pleased with it. If she needs some time to get used to the idea and to realize that Scorpius and Cashmere are the same man I know you can moap and lounge around here waiting.

I had arrived at the ball before most of the other men and had donned my apparel for the evening. Most men wore tight clothes or ruffled clothes. Tonight mine was tight but had winged sleeves and my torso showed in some places. It looked like something Apollo would have worn in his prime, if Apollo had been god of the moon that is. All the fabric was silver or white to fit the lady I was dressed to match. (I wore a wig of periwinkle blue for the occasion.) All the men walked out to the balcony to share a start-of-ball smoke and fixed up again before returning to the hall. Married men stuck to one side of the balcony and their women were introduced first, some in false names and some wearing their real names just as easily as the masks, and the single ladies filed in afterwards.

Pearl was tenth in line. Her decent was smooth and calculated and her eyes never searched for me. Once she hit the main floor I began to move towards her. A man dressed in blue greeted her and bowed as he asked for her first dance. When she shook her head and floated away he returned to the line dejected. She ran to me and I caught her in waltz stance before we spun and twirled off to dance with the others, our bodies matched and made it heard to tell the two of us apart. After sending so many letters back and forth it no longer felt like we didn't know each other. I knew the way she saw the world and the way she reacted to situations and the things she did in her normal day. She knew the same sort of things about me. We had written ever day with multiple letters on work days since we worked so closely. This dance felt more like holding each other after a long time apart. Like a much anticipated reunion.

After the first song ended we froze and I procured a necklace I had made from the tiny pocket on my chest. I had crushed pearls and reformed them into the shape of a lily. It was the only flower I could think besides a rose that could be so white. She looked at it quietly and quizzically until I told her the petals were made out of pearl and the chain was white gold. A piece from the set she'd given me. She asked if I had made it and when I nodded that brilliant smile burst out of her and she held her hair so I could close the clasp behind her neck. Pearl let her now brown hair swirl behind her as she tilted her head back. We danced, feeling the emotion of our bodies entwined, for an hour before stopping for a drink.

We stood out on the balcony admiring the water below as we sipped our drinks. Pearl had leaned on my arm until I let her between myself and the lights changing below us. Her hand suddenly grew moist in mine and I knew the rose on her cheeks wasn't from makeup. Once I remembered the reason I leaned in closely and whispered in her ear.

"Pearl, may I kiss you?"

"I'd like nothing more at the moment."

Our lips met in a needy but gentle manner befitting a first kiss of our rank. Her lips were softer than humanly possible and the way those eyes lit up as I pulled away made me hesitantly lean in. I let her finish the contact and we shared another moment. A contented sigh escaped me and she chuckled at the sound of peacefulness I exuded. She looked as though a similar feeling had crept up on her too!

It was quiet, with only the faded music getting through the quieting ward as we looked out over the grounds during the next thirty minutes. I stroked her hand and she would brush long hair behind my ears when it escaped. Finally breath hitched, the way it does when you hesitate to say something, She sat on the balcony and looked down into my masked face before asking a question.

"Cashmere, were your parents involved in the war?"

Until I answered I didn't realize it was one of her questions, not just the type we sent back and forth in our letters. This was one of those unmasking questions.

"Yes, they were."

Her smile brightened and suddenly I realized her family had been on the opposite side. Her skin was milk white, she wore a wig every dance to hide her hair color, meaning it would give her away, and her eyes were bright green. Pearl might have liked me but there was no way Lily Potter would share her feelings. This was wrong. My heart broke as I turned away and looked at the floor, realizing why she paused when I gave her the necklace earlier. A lily made of pearls. She probably thought I had guessed at her name then. Now she would realize I knew her as she was. I had kissed her. Just thirty minutes ago I thought I would be able to jump off this balcony and fly away unassisted. I had kissed Lily Potter and now I would hurt her too.

"Cashmere, what's wrong? Your face grew dark."

I had taken a few steps back when I said I had to go. Her, now obviously, emerald green eyes scanned my face before she asked why. No answer came as I backed away then turned and ran to loose myself in the crowd, down the stairs and around the corner then outside beneath the balcony was where my feet refused to carry me further. Lily Potter. Damn. Why did it have to be her? Just when I thought this could finally be the girl for me reality swooped back in.

She knew me and did not find me likable. She mocked my every move as we played Quidditch against each other, sneered at me from across classrooms, watched my every step so she could report me if I put a toe out of line, and often got me detentions for being out of my common room after hours. Lily Potter would sneer again when she found out who her masked man was. It was time to go. Tonight had been a disaster and now my parents would be home waiting to hear all about my wonderful night with the perfect girl.

As different ways of breaking the news to them floated through my mind, only to be rejected after a few moments and tossed out, I turned the corner. My back was instantly pushed against the wall and my throat was being crushed by a mans forearm.

"Mr. Cashmere, would you care to explain why my daughter came to me in tears and asked if we could leave at that moment?"

His pressure loosened just enough to let me breathe and choke before answering.

"Mr. Potter, if your daughter knew who I was she'd hate me. I didn't want to see the giddiness and wonder leave her eyes for that cold emotion."

At his name her perked up and looked me in the face. After a few seconds of dead silence with the exception of the water falling back into the pool nearby he got a look of realization and whispered my first and last name. He backed away and let his arms hang by his side. It seemed like we both watched the grass grow a centimeter or so before he spoke.

"Mr. Malfoy, don't you know it is only proper to let the other know who you are once you know their real name? Pearl is going to be by the fountain in about five minutes. I suggest you appear to her before we leave."

I did as told. Shadows hid me until Lily came, pushed up her dress, took off her shoes, and sat by the fountains edge. I came from her left and stood silently until those puffy green eyes noticed me. Her make up had smeared and her wig had begun to slide, revealing just a sliver of fire red hair beneath the brown.

"Ms. Potter, it was a pleasure to get to know you. I ran because I didn't want to face you as the man I really am. Please, don't think less of me. This mask only hid my identity. I am still the man who wrote you those letters, surprised you with lunch, and kept your spirits high. Perhaps I have shown you that not everyone in my family is evil-spirited."

I took off my wig, just the white blonde of my hair should have given me away, and dropped it to the ground before untying my mask and threw it in the water to float over to her.

"Goodbye Lily Potter, you were my new dream."

She gasped and her eyes did grow cold and angry, then sad, then lost, then filled with tears and she cried into her hands as her parents approached.

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Potter, good evening."

With that I turned and Apparated into the living room where my parents immediately stopped reading and rushed to comfort me after a look at the despair on my face.


	3. Chapter 3: Make a Mistake With Me

Make a Mistake with Me

(Inspired by Inspired by Brad Paisley's Make A Mistake With Me. To watch the music video copy and paste watch?v=qs0VMty7pic after / on Youtube.)

I lifted the mask out of the water and held it to my chest as I cried. Scorpius Malfoy. Was that really him? Could it have been anyone else? No. As much as I would like to believe this was all a misunderstanding I knew it was him. He had said I was his new dream...To the empty air where he vanished I whispered.

"And you were mine..."

How was it possible that the cocky and rude boy I went to school with had turned into that kind, soft spoken, and considerate man. Could four years change someone so much? All those weeks he had been genuine and the kind of suitor that would melt every girls heart. Now he was gone and I was confused and lost. Scorpius Malfoy couldn't have been luring me in only to break my heart. He walked away the moment he realized who I was. That first kiss and the second was so breathtaking and simple and enchanting yet he was disturbed enough to let it all go in an instant. He hadn't just been being nice. It was too consistent and the things he spoke about in his writing and day to day life proved that he had more heart and soul than most other humans I had met.

Both of my parents stood by until I had calmed and my tears stopped falling into the fountain. When I looked at them they both wore knowing looks. Heartbreak wasn't new to my generation. Both of them had been through it as well both with each other and with a few others as well. (My mother had been through more than a few according to what I heard.) My eyes met my dads and the first words that came to mind spilled out.

"What do I do now? He's a Malfoy."

"You know I've worked with his father on many missions and projects. His father turned out surprisingly well. Perhaps all Malfoy's are pricks until they grow up. Scorpius seemed very nice and very honest to me. I know where his workshop and his display shop is if you wanted to find him again. "

All I could do was stare at the holes in the mask that had been filled with those bright gray eyes minutes earlier, the material was still warm, and nod. I still had one more question left and I intended to get it answered. Though which one I would ask was up in the air now. It bothered me all night as I'd torn my mask off, stormed around screaming and punching walls, half finished a few different snacks before something mentally connected them to Malfoy, and ran out of steam once I made it to the mirror in my room. How could I use this one question to get the most information from a boy, no man, I hadn't meant to grow close to?

With breakfast the Daily Prophet was delivered and came with an insert covered with pictures of the European Nobility Holiday Ball. In the center was a picture of Cashmere and Pearl mid-waltz. It felt like ice in the soul and burned around the edges. Cashmere had been the perfect disguise and yet kept so much of the actual person with him. Scorpius would mock me at school using terms like 'Paisley clad' 'Basque waisted' 'Outrè' and I should have caught on. Most men don't know fashion terms. Both Scorpius and Cashmere did and loved that world. Scorpius obviously knew more than most; I had to research what Outrè meant after he said it! I had known of a Malfoy operated handmade decor shop near Diagon Alley but refused to visit on principle. If I had, his cover would have been blown the instant he gave me the lily I still wore around my neck. His actual initials were carved on the back as discretely as he could make them. A large swirled S connecting to a equally curled M. I hadn't given it much thought before now.

After moping around the house for a couple of days my father pushed me from the house with some money and told me not to come back until I had spent it on something for myself. He often played on my indecisiveness to distract me. He also used it to get alone time and avoid shopping with my mother and I. This was obviously one of those times he used it to help and heal. If wandering around for a few hours could encourage enough distraction than maybe it would clear the thoughts a bit and let me see what I wanted to do next. Harry Potter was not one to let angst rule his loved ones lives. He had apparently ruined enough of his own in that manner and refused to tolerate it more than he had to. The moon hung in the sky like some demigod's discarded toenail clipping by the time I felt remotely better. Being away from home had in fact helped me see straighter though I wasn't done exploring and thinking things through.

Shining a bit down the street was the Knightsbridge hotel. It looked warm and welcoming and safe. That was where I would be spending the evening. Thanks to a recent change at Gringotts I could swipe a card and have funds transferred into Muggle money then into a Muggle account without having to do the actual exchange. Before now there hadn't been an opportunity to use the feature. Safe inside my studio suite I wrote to my father and let him know where my night had ended. He undoubtedly would have waited up for me otherwise. Tomorrow I was going to visit Scorpius. It took a few days of angry tears and hurt to realize why this situation bothered me the way it did. He mattered to me! Cashmere had become someone who captivated and left an impression on my being. He had haunted my days and charmed my nights for months now. In the past few days his presence as Scorpius was even more potent. Often times my eyes only caught that exact shade of grey that shaded his eyes or the single bright blonde in a crowd drew my gaze. Even now as I started to drift off in the downy feather pillows and blankets he teased my mind.

I walked through the doors of the shop announced by the tinkling of a bell and admired a few of the pieces. They were all exquisite and each of them unlike the last! It had been four days since the ball. There was a New Years Masquerade in four days and I knew Scorpius/Cashmere would be there; I didn't know if he was interested in seeing me again and didn't want to look stupid when I was disappointed. Without lifting his head from the glass piece he was working the blonde man called out.

"I'll be with you in one moment!"

His signature, a wide-bent S connecting to the top right of a curl on an M marked every piece and was frosted onto the window separating him from the rest of the shop. It was on the back of the lily I still wore daily as well. After looking at a few more pieces I picked up a bowl that looked as though it was inspired by peacocks. Either this man liked the birds or he had made this after our first ball. It had the same hues as my dress and mask had. It was selling for 100£. It grew quiet and without moving my head up I looked toward the artist. I knew my angles would look sharp and my eyes would look larger and darker than usual. He actually wore a similar expression. It looked as though he had meant to glance up quickly from his work but got stuck.

"How can I help you Miss Potter?"

"I came looking for my friend, Cashmere. I heard he can often be found here making art and feeding birds outside the window. He left his wig and mask at the last ball and they are here with me, if he wants them back."

"Cashmere has died, I'm afraid. Something about that last ball unsteadied him then the stress of explaining it to his parents and dwelling on things of the past did him in shortly after. I can collect his things though, if that's alright with you."

He came around the corner and offered his callused hands in my direction. I had noticed their texture and roughness as we danced but had never thought it was related to the hard work he preformed with them. I passed along the mask and wig then a pastry, Cashmere's favorite, lastly. His hands had glossed over mine just a touch longer than two unknown peoples would normally linger. I returned to the door and he set down the reacquainted ball things and returned to the bellows to keep the glass heating. Once my hand brushed the doorknob, a custom ice blue piece, I stopped and turned to him again.

"Scorpius, you remember the last thing you said to me? I don't think you heard my response."

"No I left before you could reply."

"Well, you were my new dream too."

Behind me the door closed on the silent workshop. Nothing moved in there, not the bellows, not the curtains, not the eyes of the man I had come to care for. It all depended on him now. Would he follow me or show up at my workplace? Perhaps I would get an owl from him?

I sat in the potions shop an extra hour, staring at the luggage I had to bring with me since I didn't have time to send it home, hoping he would stop by or send something my way. Being so vulnerable was rare and now it stung. I had thrown everything out in front of him, shown up in his shop, told him that I felt the same way he did, and got no response. Did he take it wrong? He had said, "You were my new dream" and I had said the same thing back but did he take that as a past tense thing? Finally at six o'clock I Apparated home and rushed past my parents to check for Aphrodite in my window sill. She was not there. All around my room were signs of my masked gentleman. There were pictures from both dances, a wall of masks with a fabric sampler hung next to the corresponding piece, all the notes pinned in various orders, and the card he had sent with the lunch. Should these things be taken down now or after the disappointment hit?

Two more days past before a certain shadow crept over the desk where I had been brewing an anti-aging potion. Without confirming suspicions a smile crept onto my lips and he chuckled.

"You didn't even look! I hope that potion isn't for you, if so, it's hardly necessary."

"I'd know your...oh!"

It was Draco Malfoy. His son looked so like him I hadn't thought to look up and check. Now he was the one smirking at my eagerness.

"Anywhere? I was asked to find you and ask of your outfit to the ball. Cashmere is gone and if Scorpius Malfoy is going in person he has to be impeccable and cunning and sharp and perfectly matched."

"That's a direct quote, isn't it? It sounds just like him. Tell him if Lily Potter is going 'in person' she has to be sexy, sleek, coy, and utterly stunning, particularly if she is going to be seen with a Malfoy. It is a Greek style dress. White. Pleated. Pearled. Form-fitting. Expensive. The mask is made of white gold. A friend of mine saw it after the first dance and bought it for me. It is one of his pieces, actually. Hopefully he remembers the one."

His smile was warm and he seemed to understand my mockery quite well. I said it as Scorpius-ish as I could. Sharp and precise; that was how he spoke about things like fashion or art. He apologized for the delay but after an unsettling evening of dealing with Scorpius trying to decode my farewell phrase, then his indecision about what to do, and finally finding out where I worked (which Draco had asked my father about discreetly) he had come.

After he left I ruined the potion not once or twice but four times before calling it quits and going home early. Now that I had talked myself up I had to make sure it was accurate. It took the next day to perfect the look but once I had I knew it would blow every other outfit away. This was exactly as a Potter should show up, looking like a lily and exuding confidence and charm in every step. Now, it was time for bed and make-up and hair in the morning. I was thinking of ringlets, tons of them, with lots of volume and shine!

"Name please."

"Lily Potter, sir."

As it was announced I walked to the edge of the stairs and began the slow decent to the floor where I felt eyes on me. Both my parents stood in the balcony above, as they always did during entrances, and nodded once we made eyes contact. Once my feet made contact with the floor I was approached by three boys, all of whom I politely turned down. The blonde man I had dressed to match had not approached me, he sheepishly looked at the floor as though second guessing his decision, but when our eyes met and the expectation was clearly in my expression he took long strides towards me. A foot in front of me he bowed and I curtsied before falling into his arms once more.

This time is was tense. We knew each other plain. We knew our families past interactions. We knew every eye now watched and judged one way or the other. After a few steps into the dance a coy smile escaped his lips along with the kind words I had grown so used to hearing from him.

"Miss Potter, you look more stunning than ever this evening."

"Thank you Scorpius, you are too kind-as always."

"You flatter me, Miss Potter. I am just giving the respect and praise due."

"All the same, Mr. Malfoy."

He was reserved and quiet and rigid for the first few dances. If I was under the guise of Pearl and he had been Scorpius these first dances might have gone differently. Would he had been more relaxed or was this the Scorpius he let the public see? I found myself acting differently than Pearl would have. Lily Potter had social standings to uphold and proper alliances to maintain between other members. Pearl could dance with who ever but I felt uncomfortable going below a certain invisible social line. Could Scorpius see me as right in the grey line with his parents standards? Certainly the Potters were as well thought of as Malfoys, if not higher. While we spun and floated around the floor the look of concentration on both our faces must have looked odd. He was oddly harder to read with the disguising mask off. Both our masks were metal frames and did nothing to hide features, unlike the others. Suddenly the orchestra grew quiet and a tap on my shoulder alerted me to another presence.

"Miss Potter, might I share a dance with you?"

To turn down Lysander Scamander would be to throw the past away. His mother was one of the oldest and closest friends of my parents, thus my middle name, and we were thought to be perfectly matched. I promised a dance and watched as a stormy expression grew in the silver grey eyes of my dance partner as he made his way to a small table to anxiously await the next dance. Lysander put an arm around my waist and led me a bit further away before dragging his hand across the small of my back to start the next dance's position.

"So, care to tell the rest of us what you're playing at? You've kept this secret quiet long enough. Your brother told me of some mystery man and I've been trying to discover you at the past few dances and ask about him. You've been dancing with him every song at every dance in the past three months? Did it ever cross your mind that since you didn't know him he shouldn't have been given the attention? This is the furthest direction from proper mingling and should never have happened. It wouldn't have if you hadn't been possessed to play along with his games. He's a Malfoy and seems to have tricks up his sleeves that even you can't avoid. Call off this madness, I beg you, and stick to the right crowds."

"I didn't come to this dance to hear you unload on me Ly. I came to this dance because Scorpius Malfoy invited me in the proper old manner."

"Seriously! He sent his father to do the dirty work?"

"Oh please, don't act so shocked. You know how opposite circles are supposed to interact. Seeing as we normally wouldn't have met at a ball he requested that the head of his house personally invite me on behalf of his heir. That is the proper etiquette and isn't frowned upon. If we all courted in the same circles generation after generation we would be limiting our magic and eventually would have to marry cousins to cousins."

"Surely you can see that the Malfoys and Potters are the leaders of two different worlds? I get courting outside of the 'normal circle' but jumping to the opposite circle is unheard of!"

"If you weren't my close friend and I didn't see you every few weeks or dinner or outings I would have turned you down as I did those other men. Lysander, who I fancy is none of your interest nor are you able to judge my choices."

"I am though."

Al had stepped in took over as Lysander stomped off through the front doors. One look at my brothers face said more than words ever could. He had found my parents on the balcony and after locating me via hair color he realized who I danced with. My parents hadn't seemed irritated so he assumed Cashmere's cover had been blown without him being informed. He saw Lysander take me away and decided to speak with me himself after the discussion heated up. Now he was livid and gave the blonde, who stood when the song shifted, a glare that could melt the polar ice caps. Through the next song he didn't say a word out loud, though I felt a conversation passing between us none the less. He would look towards a nervous (now sitting) Scorpius and I would look right back at him as if to question him before he would shift his expression and I'd follow suit. His eyes spoke the message clear enough. I would not so much as see Scorpius for the rest of my life if he had anything to say about it. Unfortunately for him, I had something to say and my message was just as clear. YOU DO NOT GET TO CHOOSE WHO I ASSOCIATE WITH. As if sensing the tension, and desperately wanting to avoid the catastrophe that occurred when people in my family had a disagreement, my father stepped in. A third song had started only moments before he reached us, crossing the floor opposite a fuming-but-obviously-trying-to-hide-it Scorpius.

His reassuring smile and graceful movements served as the anchor I needed. Even now, thirty years after the defeat of Voldemort, only a crazy person would openly go against his will. Lysander had reentered during the last dance and now whispered to Albus who seemed to be ranting at his loss of power at my fathers intrusion. The gentleman I danced with smiled a recalcitrant smirk as if knowing what he had done and couldn't have planned it better. Halfway through the song I realized we hand moved subtly across the floor and now waltz in front of Scorpius again. Without more than a moment of eye contact my father spun me out from his body and into Scorpius' arms again. He had personally returned me and made it apparent that he had no problem with the two of us mingling.

I knew Scamander had a thing for Lily. Everyone at school had expected them to marry after graduating. They had certainly dated long enough, four years if I remembered correctly. Oddly, it was Lily who called it off just before Christmas break of my final year. Scamander was devastated and told everyone who would listen or could hear that they were taking a small break so he could focus on N.E.W.T.'s and Lily could practice Quidditch more regularly. That fell through fast though when his supposed 'girlfriend' was caught snogging Curtis Champaign, a 7th year and the Slytherin House Seeker, a week later in the corner of the Quidditch pitch. Lily had walked into the Great Hall that night with her head high despite the face they were obviously discovered. By the next evening Curtis arrived with his fingers laced in hers and had the audacity to kiss her goodbye, in front of the whole school, as he dropped her off at the Gryffindor table before returning to Slytherin for dinner. It had been the talk of the month. Lily Potter dating not only supposedly cheating on her long time boyfriend but with a Slytherin too! Perhaps that was when she first caught my eye as well.

Now watching her visibly fight with Scamander both set my heart on fire because she fought for me and filled my veins with a battery acid feeling because of his inability to be discrete. Watching Albus and her silently feud was almost as painful. From across the hall the tension was rolling off me. As far as I could tell not a word was spoken aloud though some hefty fighting occurred. Dialogue in my head sounded something like: "Lily, you are stupid and foolish and completely mental. Scorpius has nothing to offer you either socially or economically. Stop being a rebellious child and remember who you're dealing with. Everyone is watching and you are throwing everything we stand for out the window over some masked asshole." With Lily replying: "What makes you think you get a say in this? Go mess up your own life and let me deal with mine. Stop lording over me, getting in my way, and trying to make me feel small. You are out of line and I really don't want to make you look like a fool putting you back where you belong." It was only when Harry stepped in, green eyes sparkling and diffusing the situation when I let out a breath I hadn't realized was held in. He didn't say anything either, though it was obvious he'd been conniving and plotting this smooth transfer. I had seen him come down from the balcony after Albus moved to step in and waiting in the sidelines. He seemed to give Albus until the song switched and when he didn't let Lily go intervened. Wondering how long it would take to find myself back with that must sought after girl only just crossed my mind before her own father was swinging her out to my arms.

"Sorry about that. I hate when family business interferes with dancing!"

A smile was the only way I could respond. She had gone from almost relaxing around me to being completely uptight with Scamander to livid with Albus to curious and pleased with her father to finally feeling at ease with me. It was this easy smile and joking manner she returned in that dropped my walls. Cashmere and Scorpius merged and became my actual self in that moment and the last bit of tension fell from my shoulders with the realization that had I not given the balls another chance that Halloween night I would have missed the solution the complaint that made me stop attending in the first place: I'd never met anyone worth pursuing at the ball.

It was almost three when the last song was announced as we danced slowly, lost in each other's presence until the last violin/cello faded. This was goodbye. There was no dance until Valentine's day and until then I planned on taking it slow, testing the waters, getting to know where Lily and Pearl met and overlapped. We were both out. I could show up at the potions shop she brewed for with flowers and lunch and she could come sit on the counter and mock me in that teasing manner she had mastered while I played with glass and stone and what ever else I fancied for the day. There were no more secrets as far as identity went and hopefully nothing else barring us from enjoying each other.

"Lily, may I kiss you?"

"I'd like nothing more at the moment."

She laughed as she realized it was the same line I had used on Pearl a week ago. It was how we ended the evening. A brief, happy, fulfilling, yet fairly chaste kiss in front of her ex and overprotective brother. I escorted her to her parents in the balcony and handed her off to her father before bidding them a good night and safe travels. Knowing they'd head out across the lawn as always I returned to the balcony and watched them go. Before Apparating Lily turned and waved her wand shooting off a bright flash and silver sparks. I had no clue what spell it was but I assumed it was her little way of saying goodbye.

Someone had come up behind me and when I turned it made my stomach leap into my throat. My own parents had been here under masks and watched what had taken place. Apparently my mother had worried about my safety now that the secret was out and had surprised my father with tickets to the gala in case he had to prevent Albus Potter or myself from landing in court after a brawl. After a joke about still being in one piece we made our way home to Malfoy Manor.

With the sun coming through the window a silhouette of an owl filled the room. I noticed the heavy paper on my desk and realized I'd had a delivery. After handing the owl some bacon off the breakfast tray that had been set out for me I sat with the parchment.

Scorpius,

I love writing your name on the top of the paper! (Scorpius looks more elegant in print than Cashmere.) Last night was more than I ever imagined a ball could be, minus the unnecessary intrusion of family and friends. If someone had told me during my last year at Hogwarts, while I was all decked out in crimson and gold, that three years later I would be happy and flirty in your presence I would have threatened to knock their teeth out. Now, though I'd deny it if anyone but you asked, life has been more...fulfilling? Meaningful? Enjoyable? I don't know the proper word. It's been lovely none the less.

Albus keeps warning me not to fall into the false truth that every woman needs a man to live a meaningful and wonderful life. Don't worry about that. I will not be controlled or bossed around. I'm both a Potter and a Weasley. (According to my father I got the stubbornness and determination of both as well as the spitfire temper. Thought you should be warned what you're getting into if you keep reading and respond to this letter.) Due to social standings I believe it would only be proper for you to ask me out. I'd refuse.

Lily

How was I supposed to respond to that? It came with a picture she took last night (explaining the sparks from her wand as she left) of me standing on the balcony. She obviously enjoyed our time together and then this note comes. Would Albus have the balls to send me something like this? I didn't think he would. Perhaps I should just respond by asking what she meant. My mother had come in to lay fresh sheet on my bed when she noticed my face. Without speaking I handed her the note and got the dirty sheet replaced. By the time my eyes found hers an adorable smile graced her features and the words, "Your date sure knows how to play the game." were all I got before she left to finish remaking other beds around the manse. WHAT WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?! The longer I thought the more irritated I got and by dinner I ate in silence. Fuming. Who was she to play with my emotions like this? As I sat there a owl dropped a package in my lap before shooting back out the window.

Scorpius,

I saw these gloves and thought you might like them for your costume during the Valentine's Day Ball in a few months. Also, You mentioned wearing green to it and I thought this might be a stunning piece to pair with it.

I held up the brooch. It was a green tourmaline surrounded by a ring of diamonds set in bright yellow gold. A sword with an elaborate handle was removable from the bronze sheath and presumably was used to hold the piece in place. A little golden chain hung between the sword and sheath to give it a connected feel. This design looked commissioned or antique. A fortune had gone into the making of my newest treasure. I had mentioned an outfit in passing and she had caught and stored that information. Now I had to tie in this stone and the black, soft gloves.

My parents were watching and after an odd chocking noise came from my mother I lay down my gifts off to the side and realized something was off. My father was trying to chew his food and had to keep stopping and regaining control, lest he smile or laugh and loose his composure. I think if it had been just the two of us he would have ejected food across the table. Though I didn't know why.

"What?"

He lost it. With a clatter of silverware and a shocked expression he chuckled and the smallest amount of food escaped his lips. Beside him my mother was in such a fit of giggles she couldn't pick up her fork. Irritated and waiting for them to settle down I picked at my food. Was it my expression they found funny or had they been in on some secret I was unaware of. My father spoke first.

"Perhaps I should clean the house a bit dear, I think we may be seeing Mrs. Potter shortly here. I will have to order some pastries and have water on to boil ready for the tea service."

"Of course love, should I be in the study waiting for her arrival?"

They both broke into boisterous laughter and clutched at each other. When I still didn't get it my mother mentioned the first time she got gloves and a giant gemstone from my father. Again they laughed and hooted and a few minutes later, with red faces and cunning glances towards each other, returned to their squash soup. I mirrored their actions, still lost. Before we had finished eating Mitzy, our house elf, came in with an assortment of pastries and teas to choose from as well as some wine for good measure. She had set them up on the golden tea service cart off to one side and looked as confused as I felt before asking if there was anything else needed.

An explanation was never given for the odd dinner behavior nor was I given a reason after the doorbell rang and my father told me to go wash and dress nicely before coming back down. My mother rushed to the study and my father awkwardly stood to get the door. As my footsteps reached the middle of the staircase I heard Harry Potter talking to my father, though his wife had rushed toward my father's study.

"This certainly is weird. I went over the dialogue with Ginny before we came over. Talking to Lily about this has done nothing to calm her down or make her second guess herself. She is going all in with this one.

"It is humorous in a way. I never thought I'd be stuck out in the hall while my wife stood by the fireplace with a glass of brandy. Scorpius is so confused right now. I can't wait until it clicks in his mind. We formally dismissed him from the table, which despite being a family or tradition never do, and told him those words 'go wash and dress nicely before you come down' and he just looked at me like I was being stupid before complying. He's probably up there now all kinds of puzzled."

I hadn't thought twice about being formally dismissed but now as I showered their rigidness did seem really peculiar after the laugh they had just shared over some reversed role thing. Why would my father 'tidy up' or set the cart for tea? Why would my mother be in the study with brandy waiting for another lady? Today was all sorts of backwards. Tonight I couldn't get the shower to work though the bath seemed to function. (It insisted on using some rose perfume despite every charm I'd tried.) While I soaked a house elf had popped into the dressing room and laid out my silver silk shirt and paired it with black dress pants and a silver ribbon to tie back my hair.

With the towel drying my blonde hair, absorbing the last bits of water, it hit me. Lily sent me an owl before I woke up, probably as soon as she thought I'd be asleep, had sent me a large jewelry piece and some expensive gloves around dinner time, and had sent her parents for dessert and drinks after. Lily was courting me. Courting me in the proper way a gentleman would court a lady. Usually the couple would meet at a dance or ball and have escorts to keep any frivolity from occurring. After a few dances and the gentleman keeping an eye on the family and determining if the lady would make a good edition to the family he would send notes to see if she'd reply. Usually a few months passed before he would send her a fancy piece of jewelry, showing his status and ability to care financially for a lady, and some piece of an outfit for their next meeting. That evening the gentleman's parents would come over for light refreshments, desserts, and drinks. Generally the father of the lady in question would be in his study or most distinguished room awaiting the gentleman's father. Both mothers would be present as well but would sit in the dining room and drink tea or wine while the men talked. Lily was courting me. We had met at a dance or two or three. She was there with her parents and returned to them after we finished dancing. (Though we hadn't stuck to the old tradition of no more than three dances with a single person.) We had sent letter mixed in between dances and meetings. (She had come to my shop alone, which never would have happened in a formal courting. Then again Malfoy's and Potter's were on opposite ends of the Wizarding world and, while they got along as adults, would never pair their children together.) Now she had sent a masculine brooch and handsome riding/ball gloves. Her mother sat in the study and I assumed both fathers would be in the dining room. If this situation hadn't been so weird I would have loved to walk in on our father sipping tea and eating flaky treats together.

That was exactly what I found when I returned to the dining room.

"So, you've figured it out. Come sit down while your mother laughs some more in my study. Apparently Lily doesn't want to loose her freedom like most women do once married. This seemed to be the best route for her, though it kind of seems like a blow to your status and masculinity."

"Hopefully you know Lily enough to realize this is some game, a mask of sorts, to make all this work. Her brother came over and they had an explosive fight over courting and her role in society last night before she sent off the owl. We only heard what she had done around lunch today and had to start figuring out how to deal with all this. Scorpius, she is a pile of nerves and hated telling you she would turn down an offer from you. She wanted to be in charge for once. Albus is furious with her. He had just taken a sip on firewhiskey when she announced her plans for the day. I think she sent that letter first to force herself to follow through, and to prevent Albus from stopping her."

With a shrug I sat in the chair and listened to the faint sounds of laughter and shrill talking coming from my fathers study. Both women seemed to be having a good time. With a smirk, and a horrifying voice to hear from one's father, I was offered a 'pastry to settle my anxious stomach' while we waited. If looks could kill the one I sent in return to that question would have caused a funeral. A few minutes later Mitzy offered us some brandy, saying the missus was on to a second bottle of wine with her guest. Convention had been thrown out the window as far a drinks went and the tea sat untouched in front of my father. (He was particular as to when he preferred it.) Tweny minutes later my mother came in, flushed from her drinking, and invited us to the study to join the conversation. Ginny Potter was sitting primly on a couch and laughed at the expression on my face.

"Scorpius, it's good to see you again and so soon! As I'm sure you've guessed Lily has decided to throw tradition out the window and do things her way. We were asked to attend a dessert tonight at her request and set up a shorter-than-usual courtship. She didn't want to undermine your role in society but refuses to commit and submit like most girls tend to do. According to her you wouldn't want that anyway. As far as announcing this goes she requests that it be announced declaring her as the one who began this process. After that though she wants you to take the lead. I'm guessing this is her slam at Albus for thinking she'd allow anyone to control her life, even after she's married. Albus is looking for the kind of woman Lily despises and could never be. They've been fighting about her behaviors and social role for years now and it has come to this. It would've eventually reached something like this anyway."

Mrs. Potter, it's a pleasure to see you again as well. Despite how this is all happening I would love to court and be courted by Lily. She's right about me not wanting her any other way. It's one of the reasons I haven't started this process with somebody else by now. Since it seems this is following a pattern, if only in opposite roles, it would be a privilege and honor to offer my hand, err allow my father...um mother, to offer my hand to Lily Luna Potter in a formal courtship."

After another hour of random conversations and discussing things like Quidditch scores, recent Ministry developments, and how we would proceed from here on out the Potters offered to Floo me to their house for a few minutes. Normally when something like this happened it was inserted into a special page in the Daily Prophet. I knew despite best efforts to keep this fairly discreet it would be all over tomorrow morning when I wok. It was almost exciting to see what would be made of this. Technically this form of relationship was a bit out of style to all but the purebloods or oldest of houses. Then again, both the Malfoy and Potter's were old houses.

I woke to find the Daily Prophet waiting with my breakfast set up. In big bold letter read the words, "Lily Potter Formally Requests Courtship with Scorpius Malfoy: Mothers Met Last Night to Discuss Details of Arrangement over Brandy and Pastries." There were other owls dropping howlers, letters from well-wishers, and confused friends. Once all this cooled off I knew we would be very happy and comfortable, both knowing what the other would give or require to make. This was a semi-arranged marriage but one that, unlike most arranged ones, would grow and become love with time. I was already well on my way to being head over heels for this hot-headed, strong-willed, cunning, and beautiful lady.


	4. Epilogue: Here Comes the Sun

Epilogue: Here Comes the Sun

(Inspired by Inspired by The Beatles Here Comes the Sun. To watch the music video copy and paste watch?v=Bj1AesMfIf8 after / on Youtube.)

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy worked at the torch behind a frosted glass panel with his initials sand-blasted into it. Under the hot heat his piece, a mask of thin glass and elegant curve, was carefully taking form. His hands worked with precision and the skill he'd built over the years as his mind wandered through the day.

"Have you heard back from the team yet? I know you've been nervous about their response and today you seem rather relaxed."

"Nope, nothing yet. Did you want to catch some lunch after this? I'm starving!"

He smirked and quickly turned to see the redhead, hair flayed out under her like fire from a furnace, admiring the creations hanging from the ceiling as they awaited their final touches. Her face wore amusement like a glove and she smiled often.

"If you don't want to go I'll go pick something up to bring back. What ever we do it has to be decided soon."

This mask was taking shape nicely and would be finished in ten minutes at the most. With that in mind some options were offered. Scorpius wanted to get out of the shop for a bit and Lily wanted to go with him; it was decided that after the mask was resting before the next step they'd go. Though they had not had a normal relationship (What is a normal relationship?) life had been amazing since their union. Scorpius discovered he loved to cook and made most of their meals while Lily generally took care of housework and the money issues. Their life was a collage of the things that made them happy or improved the beauty of their existence. For the past five years Scorpius and Lily traveled, baked, remodeled, relearned, and adventured where ever they felt the desire to go. It was only recently that they found themselves back in London with no plans to leave for a while.

Scorpius pulled out the chair for his wife as they sat down for lunch at a new Italian restaurant a mile from Malfoy Design Emporium (Where his workshop had been moved once business picked up). Some days he missed the little shop but with the demands and the supplies he now received it was impractical to keep the little place as a main store. (It had become a bookstore/coffee shop that often sponsored local artists!) One advantage of moving locations was the amount of stores and dining places around. Every day it seemed they were out discovering a new place for dinner or lunch or a new wine. Speaking of wine, Lily hadn't ordered a glass to accompany her meal.

He had noticed. The exact moment his eyes scanned the table and fell on a water glass alone without its usual wine stem for company was visible. Lily could only smirk and mentally praise herself for the conniving. She had hoped he would notice and was briefly shocked when he didn't comment after the waiter took the order. Would he comment or just assume she wasn't in the mood for it today. He'd have to be crazy to think that as there was a elegant glass by the plate during every dinner and most lunches!

"Are you feeling alright love?"

"Of course! Do I look off color today?"

"I was just thinking that your pasta looked lonely without the usual stemware next to it. I don't think I've seen you eat Italian without wine, well, ever."

Sometimes the way he moved enchanted her, this was one of those times. Did he realize the way he held his fork so casually in his hands or the angle he turned as he looked out the window made her heart jump? She had the same effect on him as the water glass met her red lips and the edge of them curved up slightly and gracefully. She muttered some nonsense about babies and not drinking while pregnant before his eyes returned to hers. Had she just said that? Not drinking while pregnant. Pregnant! They had discussed having children a few months ago and decided to let nature take its course. He'd been concerned because of the fertility issues Malfoy's tended to have and she had laughed at him and said the Weasley side was bound to trump that issue. Neither had expected this so soon though.

"Lily darling, that's amazing! How long have you known and how did you stay so calm today?"

"Calm on the outside maybe. It was all I could do to admire the glass instead of my stomach while I waited for lunch. I found out this morning during breakfast when things were smelling funny and coffee made my insides dance. I thought this would be the best way of showing you instead of telling you. Scorpius, we're having a baby!"

They took their lunches to go and Floo'ed to the Potter Estate to share the news. After thirty minutes and some alcohol free champagne they used the Floo to Malfoy Manor to let his parents in on their soon not-so-secret announcement. It took a bit longer to get away from them after some treats and a gentleman's toast to a new Malfoy. It was mid-day, nearly time for everyone to get off work when the soon to be parents walked back into the shop.

Lily smiled at the small bell that tinkled as they entered and closed her eyes to remember the warmth of the sun they had just left outside. She resumed her spot on the chemise behind her husbands work bench. He had struck inspiration moments earlier and ran about the store collecting little odds and ends before bringing them back to his area. Now sitting off to his left was a periwinkle glass moon, three pale yellow stars, a centaur, a wand with sparks coming from its tip, a golden lion with a red mane, and a green snake with silver markings. He assembled all of them hanging from a black hoop he was planning on using to make a miniature Keepers Hoop for a custom Quidditch set, a commissioned gift for a customers toddler. With deft fingers he suspended the hoop and arranged all the charms at various lengths to balance the wheel. With a permanent sticking charm he all but molded the pastel colored strings onto the ring. In minutes he had made a mobile of stunning quality and imagination. The moon hung in the center, supported by three clear strings and words had appeared there. "Baby Malfoy". Something that would be replaced once a name had been chosen. Without hesitation the other hanging projects were moved to the table for finishing at the new creation was positioned over Lily's head. This was the spot all eyes fell on as people entered the shop. Here the light would hit it and cast soft rainbows and hues over the area. It was also like a personal birth announcement.

It was on the seat under the rotating and sparkling mobile that the unpacked their expensive lunches, breadsticks, and drinks (Ginny had given them three bottles of that alcohol-free wine once the story of telling Scorpius came up) then ate for the first time, just the three of them.


End file.
